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| Giusy Versace - Flight of the Eagle - Venice Carnival 2015 |
(Venice, Italy) Giusy Versace soared over Piazza San Marco during the Flight of the Eagle on Sunday, February 15, 2015, the personification of courage, determination and joy. The dynamic young woman with the famous last name lost both her legs in a horrific car accident in 2005. Did that stop Giusy Versace? (Giusy is pronounced "JOO-see;" there is no "J" in the Italian alphabet; "Gi" makes the same sound.)
A year and a half later Giusy was walking, then driving and then, astonishingly,
running on her super-duper carbon prostheses, becoming a top Paralympic sport competitor, as well as a
Save the Dream Ambassador, inspiring people all over the globe with her sunshine. And now Giusy Versace can fly.
Another young woman who took flight at the 2015 Carnevale di Venezia was Marianna Sereni, winner of last year's
Festa delle Marie, a contest which I have described many times before -- in fact, in 2007 I was
the first straniera on the jury which selects the twelve most beautiful, or virtuous young women in the Veneto.
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| Marie 2015 |
La Festa delle Marie originated from a pirate raid in 943 a.d.,
according to Venetian legend. In ancient times, Venetians married on
only one day each year. A water procession from the Arsenale on the
canal “delle Vergini” started the festivities. All the brides-to-be were
rowed across the lagoon in decorated boats brimming with dowries,
while their future husbands waited at the Church of San Nicolò at the
Lido.
That year, pirates raided the procession, kidnapping the brides and the
booty. An enraged
Venetian rescue party executed the pirates and
brought the brides back to the ceremony.
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| Marianna Sereni- Flight of the Angel 2015 |
To commemorate the victory in the past, every year twelve patriarchal
families would present twelve virtuous young women from poor Venetian
families with a dowry, and the designation “le Marie,” or “The Marys.”
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| Irene Rizzi, "Maria 2015," Marco Polo and the Doge |
This year's winning Maria was Irene Rizzi, who was costumed in the style of the Orient when the Twelve Marie made their final appearance on the Grand Stage in Piazza San Marco, yesterday, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Martedi Grasso. So next year Irene will leap off the bell tower and soar over Piazza San Marco during the Flight of the Angel.
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| Flag of San Marco in Piazza San Marco |
The Venice Carnival 2015 closed with the Twelve Marie releasing an enormous flag of San Marco with its winged lion over Piazza San Marco. The Venetian flag fluttered slowly up to the top of the Campanile as the Gondoliers sang the Venetian anthem, and the sun gently set on Carnevale di Venezia 2015.
Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog
Giusy Versace soared over Piazza San Marco during the Flight of the Eagle on Sunday, February 15, 2015, the personification of courage, determination and joy.
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